I’m driving in the rain, just driving in the rain…..

I’m driving in the rain, just driving in the rain…..

Amongst these offerings, we are hoping for some sort of relief from the now prolonged heat wave and ever encroaching drought and all the damage that can bring with it. South Africa needs rain and lots of it.

The thing about not having had rain for such a long time, other than the odd 10 minutes here and there, is that we tend to forget how to drive in rain when it does actually fall. For the most part, the motoring public think that they are able to drive as before and not adjust any of their driving habits or techniques when the rain starts to come down. This is SO wrong. We all have to immediately adjust how we drive when it rains, our following distances and speed for starters.

People just do not realise that everything changes when the roads are wet:

Visibility

Break effectiveness

Tyre grip and road holding

Stopping distances

All these factors need to be reconfigured in our minds when the rain comes down. Figures have not been confirmed as yet as to what the road deaths were over the Festive Season, but if 2014 is anything to go by which was in excess of 1300 deaths, then we are not looking good. We DO NOT need to contribute any further to this number by not being prepared for the rainy season, whenever that may be. So prepare for it now and be ready;

Check tyre treads and make sure your tyres are in good condition. If you are unsure of what to look for, visit a tyre specialist who can advise you on whether or not the tread depths are acceptable and safe

Make sure your breaks are in good working order. Even more so in rain and wet road conditions, you need to be able to stop in time

Check your wiper blades and make sure you are able to see properly when it rains. If the blades make water streaks across your wind-srceen, they are worn and need to be replaced

But over and above the mechanical checks, we need to check ourselves, and make sure we are able to discipline ourselves to adjust our driving style and drive according to the road and weather conditions;

Reduce speed

Increase following distance

Be visible – headlights on low beam and spot lights if necessary.

Do NOT use rear fog lights unless absolutely necessary, they are exceptionally bright and can affect the motorists behind you if the weather condition is not actually foggy or in conditionsof heavy rain and poor visibility

Pay attention when overtaking heavy duty vehicles. These truck’s wheels can kick up allot of water spray and can often lead to a large quantity of water being deposited on your windscreen. We also need to pay attention to poor drainage on the roads, where there is poor drainage, large amounts of water can pool on the road and if driven through at high speeds, can lead to “aqua planing” and can result in an accident.

So please ensure you are all fully prepared for when the rain does come, as much as we need it, we need to remain safe and be aware of the perils it brings with it.

For other articles, tips and helpful hints you can also visit www.arrivealive.co.za